82_FR_57932 82 FR 57698 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Possible Effects of Court Decision on Grizzly Bear Recovery in the Conterminous United States

82 FR 57698 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Possible Effects of Court Decision on Grizzly Bear Recovery in the Conterminous United States

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 234 (December 7, 2017)

Page Range57698-57699
FR Document2017-25995

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are seeking public comment on a recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, Humane Society of the United States, et al. v. Zinke et al., 865 F.3d 585 (D.C. Cir. 2017), that may impact our June 30, 2017, final rule delisting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly bear Distinct Population Segment (DPS). In Humane Society of the United States, et al. v. Zinke et al., the court opined that the Service had not evaluated the status of the remainder of the listed entity of wolves in light of the Western Great Lakes (WGL) wolf DPS delisting action and what the effect of lost historical range may have on the status of the WGL wolf DPS. We also describe in this notice our strategy to recover grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in the lower 48 States of the United States and provide a brief recovery update for each ecosystem.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 234 (Thursday, December 7, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 234 (Thursday, December 7, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57698-57699]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25995]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 17

[Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0089; FXES11130900000C6-178-FF09E42000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Possible Effects 
of Court Decision on Grizzly Bear Recovery in the Conterminous United 
States

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Regulatory review; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are seeking 
public comment on a recent D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, Humane 
Society of the United States, et al. v. Zinke et al., 865 F.3d 585 
(D.C. Cir. 2017), that may impact our June 30, 2017, final rule 
delisting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly bear Distinct 
Population Segment (DPS). In Humane Society of the United States, et 
al. v. Zinke et al., the court opined that the Service had not 
evaluated the status of the remainder of the listed entity of wolves in 
light of the Western Great Lakes (WGL) wolf DPS delisting action and 
what the effect of lost historical range may have on the status of the 
WGL wolf DPS. We also describe in this notice our strategy to recover 
grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in the lower 48 States of the 
United States and provide a brief recovery update for each ecosystem.

DATES: We will accept comments received or postmarked by the end of the 
day on January 8, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comment submission: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
ATTN: FWS-R6-ES-2017-0089, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, Virginia 22041-3803.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. FWS-R6-
ES-2017-0089.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery 
Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall, Room 309, 
Missoula, MT 59812; by telephone (406) 243-4903. Persons who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay 
Service at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    In 1975, the Service listed the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos 
horribilis) under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.) as threatened in the lower 48 United States (40 FR 31734, July 
28, 1975). On June 30, 2017, the Service published a final rule (82 FR 
30502, June 30, 2017; RIN 1018-BA41) designating the GYE population of 
grizzly bears as a DPS, finding that the DPS was recovered, and 
removing that DPS from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife. The final rule became effective on July 31, 2017, and remains 
in effect. Grizzly bears in the remaining area of the lower 48 States 
remain listed as threatened under the ESA as amended. The status of any 
grizzly bear population may be changed only through formal rulemaking.
    On August 1, 2017, the Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia Circuit issued a ruling, Humane Society of the United States, 
et al. v. Zinke et al., 865 F.3d 585 (D.C. Cir. 2017), that affirmed 
the prior judgement of the district court vacating the 2011 delisting 
rule for wolves in the Western Great Lakes (WGL) (76 FR 81666, December 
28, 2011). The 2011 rule designated the gray wolf population in 
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, as well as portions of six 
surrounding States, as the WGL DPS, determined that the WGL DPS was 
recovered, and delisted the WGL as a DPS.
    This court opinion may impact the GYE final rule, which also 
designated a portion of an already-listed entity as a DPS and then 
revised the listed entity by removing the DPS due to recovery. 
Therefore, we are reviewing the potential implications for the GYE 
final rule in light of the Humane Society ruling. We are seeking public 
comment on this subject (see Request for Public Comments). Below we 
summarize our recovery strategy to assist the public in providing 
public comment on the impacts that Humane Society might have on grizzly 
bear.

Recovery Strategy

    The grizzly bear was originally distributed in various habitats 
throughout Western North America from Central Mexico to the Arctic 
Ocean. Current distribution in the lower 48 States consists of five 
small populations with an estimated total population of 1,800 bears. 
The 1993 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (USFWS 1993, p. 15) identified 
seven grizzly bear ecosystems, including five with either self-
perpetuating or existing populations and two additional areas, the 
Bitterroot Mountains in Idaho and the San Juan Mountains in Colorado, 
where grizzly bears are known to have existed in the recent past. While 
no resident population currently exists in the Bitterroot Ecosystem, 
that ecosystem contains adequate habitat to sustain a population. The 
Recovery Plan suggests that further evaluation is needed on the status 
of the San Juan Mountains, where no grizzly bears exist today (USFWS 
1993, p.16).
    The Service's overarching vision for recovery of grizzly bears in 
the lower 48 States, to recover and delist populations individually in 
each of the ecosystems as recovery is achieved, was outlined in the 
Recovery Plan (USFWS 1993, pp. 16, 33) and further discussed in our 
2011 5-year status review (USFWS 2011, pp. 12-14). The review also 
found that the lower-48-State listing is consistent with our 1996 DPS 
Policy and recommended that the current entity, on the whole, should 
retain its threatened status (USFWS 2011, p. 104). We recognized that 
sufficient evidence exists to support multiple DPSs within the lower-
48-State listing, but indicated that further subdivision of the lower-
48-State listing was unnecessary at the time (USFWS 2011, p. 14). Prior 
to the 5-year status review, the Service had attempted to delist the 
GYE grizzly bear population as a DPS (72 FR 14866, March 29, 2007). 
That determination was subsequently vacated by the Federal District 
Court for the District of Montana (Greater Yellowstone Coalition v. 
Servheen et al., 672 F.Supp. 2d 1105 (D. Mont. 2009), and the vacatur 
was upheld by the Ninth Circuit in Greater

[[Page 57699]]

Yellowstone Coalition v. Servheen, et al., 665 F.3d 1015 (9th Cir. 
2011).
    The 2011 5-year status review also committed to an evaluation of 
potential DPSs within the lower-48-State listing to determine whether 
they are near the point where rulemaking is warranted or appropriate 
(e.g., when recovery is achieved and delisting may be warranted; or 
when listing funds become available to address those populations for 
which we determined that reclassifying to endangered status was 
warranted but precluded) (USFWS 2011, p. 14). The GYE was the first 
ecosystem to achieve recovery and was the first population to be 
delisted.

Recovery Status

    There are approximately 1,800 grizzly bears in the lower 48 States. 
The population and legal status under the ESA of each ecosystem is as 
follows:
    (1) The GYE: Had approximately 695 bears in 2016 (Van Manen and 
Harodson 2017, p. 3)--delisted due to recovery July 31, 2017 (82 FR 
30502, June 30, 2017);
    (2) The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem: Had approximately 
960 bears in 2014 (Costello et al. 2017, p. 2)--still listed as 
threatened (likely biologically recovered, although no decision has 
been made);
    (3) The Selkirk Ecosystem: Had approximately 70-80 bears in 2016 
(Kasworm et al. 2017)--still listed as threatened;
    (4) The Cabinet Yaak Ecosystem: Had approximately 56 bears in 2016 
(Kasworm et al. 2017)--warranted-but-precluded for uplisting to 
endangered (August 22, 2017, court order);
    (5) The North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE): Contains no confirmed 
grizzly bears in the United States (U.S. DOI 2016) and an estimated 6 
individuals in the adjacent British Columbia portion of the NCE (MFLNRO 
2012)--warranted-but-precluded for endangered status (81 FR 87264, 
December 2, 2016);
    (6) The Bitterroot Ecosystem: Currently unoccupied (IGBC 2015)--
Nonessential Experimental Population Area (65 FR 69624, November 17, 
2000).

Next Steps and Timing

    The Service is evaluating the Court's ruling in Humane Society of 
the United States, et al. v. Zinke et al., in the context of our final 
determination regarding the GYE grizzly bear final rule (82 FR 30502, 
June 30, 2017) to consider what impact, if any, the D.C. Circuit Court 
of Appeal ruling has on the GYE grizzly bear final rule and what 
further evaluation should be considered regarding the issues raised in 
Humane Society. We will address public comments and notify the public 
of our conclusions by March 31, 2018. The GYE final delisting rule will 
remain in effect during this review process, and the status of grizzly 
bears throughout the rest of the range will remain unchanged.

Request for Public Comments

    We invite written comments on the manner in which the Humane 
Society decision may affect the GYE grizzly bear final rule (82 FR 
30502, June 30, 2017). Specifically, we are interested in public input 
on whether the Humane Society opinion affects the GYE grizzly bear 
final rule and what, if any, further evaluation the Service should 
consider regarding the remaining grizzly bear populations and lost 
historical range in light of the Service's decision regarding the GYE 
grizzly bear.
    We request comments from any interested party that pertain to the 
issues raised in the preceding paragraph only. We will consider all 
comments received by the date specified in DATES. You must submit your 
comments and supporting materials by one of the methods listed in 
ADDRESSES. We will not consider comments sent by email or fax, or 
written comments sent to an address other than the one listed in 
ADDRESSES.

Public Availability of Comments

    If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
comment--including any personal identifying information--will be posted 
on the Web site. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes 
personal identifying information, you may request that we withhold this 
information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so. We will post all hardcopy comments on http://www.regulations.gov. Comments and materials we receive will be 
available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov, or by 
appointment, during normal business hours, at the Grizzly Bear Recovery 
Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

References Cited

    A complete list of all reference cited herein is available at 
https://www.regulations.gov in Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2017-0089, or upon 
request from the Grizzly Bear Recovery Office (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT).

    Authority: This document is published under the authority of the 
Endangered Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: November 1, 2017.
Stephen Guertin,
Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Exercising Authority 
of Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-25995 Filed 12-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P



                                                 57698                Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 234 / Thursday, December 7, 2017 / Proposed Rules

                                                 or in any other area where EPA or an                    DATES: We will accept comments                        by removing the DPS due to recovery.
                                                 Indian tribe has demonstrated that a                    received or postmarked by the end of                  Therefore, we are reviewing the
                                                 tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of               the day on January 8, 2018.                           potential implications for the GYE final
                                                 Indian country, the rule does not have                  ADDRESSES: Comment submission: You                    rule in light of the Humane Society
                                                 tribal implications and will not impose                 may submit comments by one of the                     ruling. We are seeking public comment
                                                 substantial direct costs on tribal                      following methods:                                    on this subject (see Request for Public
                                                 governments or preempt tribal law as                       • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public               Comments). Below we summarize our
                                                 specified by Executive Order 13175 (65                  Comments Processing, ATTN: FWS–R6–                    recovery strategy to assist the public in
                                                 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).                            ES–2017–0089, U.S. Fish and Wildlife                  providing public comment on the
                                                                                                         Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike,                impacts that Humane Society might
                                                 List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
                                                                                                         Falls Church, Virginia 22041–3803.                    have on grizzly bear.
                                                   Environmental protection, Air                            • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://              Recovery Strategy
                                                 pollution control, Incorporation by                     www.regulations.gov. Follow the
                                                 reference, Intergovernmental relations,                 instructions for submitting comments to                  The grizzly bear was originally
                                                 Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate matter,                   Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2017–0089.                       distributed in various habitats
                                                 Reporting and recordkeeping                             FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      throughout Western North America
                                                 requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile                   Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery                  from Central Mexico to the Arctic
                                                 organic compounds.                                      Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife                   Ocean. Current distribution in the lower
                                                   Dated: November 17, 2017.                             Service, University Hall, Room 309,                   48 States consists of five small
                                                 Robert A. Kaplan,                                       Missoula, MT 59812; by telephone (406)                populations with an estimated total
                                                 Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.                243–4903. Persons who use a                           population of 1,800 bears. The 1993
                                                                                                         telecommunications device for the deaf                Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (USFWS
                                                 [FR Doc. 2017–26304 Filed 12–6–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                         may call the Federal Relay Service at                 1993, p. 15) identified seven grizzly bear
                                                 BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                                                                                         (800) 877–8339.                                       ecosystems, including five with either
                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            self-perpetuating or existing populations
                                                                                                                                                               and two additional areas, the Bitterroot
                                                 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR                              Background                                            Mountains in Idaho and the San Juan
                                                                                                            In 1975, the Service listed the grizzly            Mountains in Colorado, where grizzly
                                                 Fish and Wildlife Service                               bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) under the              bears are known to have existed in the
                                                                                                         Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C.                recent past. While no resident
                                                 50 CFR Part 17                                          1531 et seq.) as threatened in the lower              population currently exists in the
                                                                                                         48 United States (40 FR 31734, July 28,               Bitterroot Ecosystem, that ecosystem
                                                 [Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2017–0089;                        1975). On June 30, 2017, the Service                  contains adequate habitat to sustain a
                                                 FXES11130900000C6–178–FF09E42000]                       published a final rule (82 FR 30502,                  population. The Recovery Plan suggests
                                                                                                         June 30, 2017; RIN 1018–BA41)                         that further evaluation is needed on the
                                                 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife                                                                            status of the San Juan Mountains, where
                                                 and Plants; Possible Effects of Court                   designating the GYE population of
                                                                                                         grizzly bears as a DPS, finding that the              no grizzly bears exist today (USFWS
                                                 Decision on Grizzly Bear Recovery in                                                                          1993, p.16).
                                                 the Conterminous United States                          DPS was recovered, and removing that
                                                                                                         DPS from the Federal List of                             The Service’s overarching vision for
                                                 AGENCY:   Fish and Wildlife Service,                    Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.                   recovery of grizzly bears in the lower 48
                                                 Interior.                                               The final rule became effective on July               States, to recover and delist populations
                                                 ACTION: Regulatory review; request for                  31, 2017, and remains in effect. Grizzly              individually in each of the ecosystems
                                                 comments.                                               bears in the remaining area of the lower              as recovery is achieved, was outlined in
                                                                                                         48 States remain listed as threatened                 the Recovery Plan (USFWS 1993, pp.
                                                 SUMMARY:    We, the U.S. Fish and                       under the ESA as amended. The status                  16, 33) and further discussed in our
                                                 Wildlife Service (Service), are seeking                 of any grizzly bear population may be                 2011 5-year status review (USFWS 2011,
                                                 public comment on a recent D.C. Circuit                 changed only through formal                           pp. 12–14). The review also found that
                                                 Court of Appeals ruling, Humane                         rulemaking.                                           the lower-48-State listing is consistent
                                                 Society of the United States, et al. v.                    On August 1, 2017, the Court of                    with our 1996 DPS Policy and
                                                 Zinke et al., 865 F.3d 585 (D.C. Cir.                   Appeals for the District of Columbia                  recommended that the current entity, on
                                                 2017), that may impact our June 30,                     Circuit issued a ruling, Humane Society               the whole, should retain its threatened
                                                 2017, final rule delisting the Greater                  of the United States, et al. v. Zinke et              status (USFWS 2011, p. 104). We
                                                 Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) grizzly                     al., 865 F.3d 585 (D.C. Cir. 2017), that              recognized that sufficient evidence
                                                 bear Distinct Population Segment (DPS).                 affirmed the prior judgement of the                   exists to support multiple DPSs within
                                                 In Humane Society of the United States,                 district court vacating the 2011 delisting            the lower-48-State listing, but indicated
                                                 et al. v. Zinke et al., the court opined                rule for wolves in the Western Great                  that further subdivision of the lower-48-
                                                 that the Service had not evaluated the                  Lakes (WGL) (76 FR 81666, December                    State listing was unnecessary at the time
                                                 status of the remainder of the listed                   28, 2011). The 2011 rule designated the               (USFWS 2011, p. 14). Prior to the 5-year
                                                 entity of wolves in light of the Western                gray wolf population in Minnesota,                    status review, the Service had attempted
                                                 Great Lakes (WGL) wolf DPS delisting                    Wisconsin, and Michigan, as well as                   to delist the GYE grizzly bear
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 action and what the effect of lost                      portions of six surrounding States, as                population as a DPS (72 FR 14866,
                                                 historical range may have on the status                 the WGL DPS, determined that the WGL                  March 29, 2007). That determination
                                                 of the WGL wolf DPS. We also describe                   DPS was recovered, and delisted the                   was subsequently vacated by the
                                                 in this notice our strategy to recover                  WGL as a DPS.                                         Federal District Court for the District of
                                                 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in                 This court opinion may impact the                  Montana (Greater Yellowstone Coalition
                                                 the lower 48 States of the United States                GYE final rule, which also designated a               v. Servheen et al., 672 F.Supp. 2d 1105
                                                 and provide a brief recovery update for                 portion of an already-listed entity as a              (D. Mont. 2009), and the vacatur was
                                                 each ecosystem.                                         DPS and then revised the listed entity                upheld by the Ninth Circuit in Greater


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                                                                      Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 234 / Thursday, December 7, 2017 / Proposed Rules                                                57699

                                                 Yellowstone Coalition v. Servheen, et                   comments and notify the public of our                   Dated: November 1, 2017.
                                                 al., 665 F.3d 1015 (9th Cir. 2011).                     conclusions by March 31, 2018. The                    Stephen Guertin,
                                                   The 2011 5-year status review also                    GYE final delisting rule will remain in               Deputy Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
                                                 committed to an evaluation of potential                 effect during this review process, and                Service, Exercising Authority of Director, U.S.
                                                 DPSs within the lower-48-State listing                  the status of grizzly bears throughout                Fish and Wildlife Service.
                                                 to determine whether they are near the                  the rest of the range will remain                     [FR Doc. 2017–25995 Filed 12–6–17; 8:45 am]
                                                 point where rulemaking is warranted or                  unchanged.                                            BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
                                                 appropriate (e.g., when recovery is
                                                                                                         Request for Public Comments
                                                 achieved and delisting may be
                                                 warranted; or when listing funds                           We invite written comments on the                  DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
                                                 become available to address those                       manner in which the Humane Society
                                                 populations for which we determined                     decision may affect the GYE grizzly bear              National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                                 that reclassifying to endangered status                 final rule (82 FR 30502, June 30, 2017).              Administration
                                                 was warranted but precluded) (USFWS                     Specifically, we are interested in public
                                                 2011, p. 14). The GYE was the first                     input on whether the Humane Society                   50 CFR Chapter III
                                                 ecosystem to achieve recovery and was                   opinion affects the GYE grizzly bear
                                                                                                         final rule and what, if any, further                  [Docket No. 170925942–7999–01]
                                                 the first population to be delisted.
                                                                                                         evaluation the Service should consider                RIN 0648–BH30
                                                 Recovery Status                                         regarding the remaining grizzly bear
                                                   There are approximately 1,800 grizzly                 populations and lost historical range in              International Fisheries; Pacific Tuna
                                                 bears in the lower 48 States. The                       light of the Service’s decision regarding             Fisheries; Revised 2018 Commercial
                                                 population and legal status under the                   the GYE grizzly bear.                                 Fishing Restrictions for Pacific Bluefin
                                                 ESA of each ecosystem is as follows:                       We request comments from any                       Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean;
                                                   (1) The GYE: Had approximately 695                    interested party that pertain to the                  2018 Catch Limit
                                                 bears in 2016 (Van Manen and                            issues raised in the preceding paragraph
                                                                                                                                                               AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries
                                                 Harodson 2017, p. 3)—delisted due to                    only. We will consider all comments
                                                                                                                                                               Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
                                                 recovery July 31, 2017 (82 FR 30502,                    received by the date specified in DATES.
                                                                                                                                                               Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
                                                 June 30, 2017);                                         You must submit your comments and
                                                   (2) The Northern Continental Divide                                                                         Commerce.
                                                                                                         supporting materials by one of the
                                                 Ecosystem: Had approximately 960                        methods listed in ADDRESSES. We will                  ACTION: Proposed rule; request for
                                                 bears in 2014 (Costello et al. 2017, p.                 not consider comments sent by email or                comments.
                                                 2)—still listed as threatened (likely                   fax, or written comments sent to an                   SUMMARY:   The National Marine
                                                 biologically recovered, although no                     address other than the one listed in                  Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing
                                                 decision has been made);                                ADDRESSES.                                            regulations under the Tuna Conventions
                                                   (3) The Selkirk Ecosystem: Had                                                                              Act to revise trip limits on the
                                                 approximately 70–80 bears in 2016                       Public Availability of Comments
                                                                                                                                                               commercial catch of Pacific bluefin tuna
                                                 (Kasworm et al. 2017)—still listed as                     If you submit a comment via http://
                                                                                                                                                               applicable to 2018. U.S. commercial
                                                 threatened;                                             www.regulations.gov, your entire
                                                                                                                                                               fishing vessels are subject to a biennial
                                                   (4) The Cabinet Yaak Ecosystem: Had                   comment—including any personal
                                                                                                                                                               limit for 2017 and 2018. Preliminary
                                                 approximately 56 bears in 2016                          identifying information—will be posted
                                                                                                                                                               estimates indicate that the catch limit in
                                                 (Kasworm et al. 2017)—warranted-but-                    on the Web site. If you submit a
                                                                                                                                                               2018 is approximately 120 metric tons
                                                 precluded for uplisting to endangered                   hardcopy comment that includes
                                                                                                                                                               (mt). To avoid exceeding the biennial
                                                 (August 22, 2017, court order);                         personal identifying information, you
                                                   (5) The North Cascades Ecosystem                                                                            limit, NMFS is proposing a 1-mt trip
                                                                                                         may request that we withhold this
                                                 (NCE): Contains no confirmed grizzly                                                                          limit—except for large-mesh drift gillnet
                                                                                                         information from public review, but we
                                                 bears in the United States (U.S. DOI                                                                          vessels, which would be subject to a 2-
                                                                                                         cannot guarantee that we will be able to
                                                 2016) and an estimated 6 individuals in                                                                       mt trip limit—throughout 2018 or until
                                                                                                         do so. We will post all hardcopy
                                                 the adjacent British Columbia portion of                                                                      the 2018 catch limit is reached and the
                                                                                                         comments on http://
                                                 the NCE (MFLNRO 2012)—warranted-                                                                              fishery is closed. This action is
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov. Comments and
                                                 but-precluded for endangered status (81                                                                       necessary to contribute to the rebuilding
                                                                                                         materials we receive will be available
                                                 FR 87264, December 2, 2016);                                                                                  of Pacific bluefin tuna and for the
                                                                                                         for public inspection at http://
                                                   (6) The Bitterroot Ecosystem:                                                                               United States to satisfy its obligations as
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov, or by
                                                 Currently unoccupied (IGBC 2015)—                                                                             a member of the Inter-American
                                                                                                         appointment, during normal business
                                                 Nonessential Experimental Population                                                                          Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
                                                                                                         hours, at the Grizzly Bear Recovery
                                                 Area (65 FR 69624, November 17, 2000).                  Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                   DATES: Comments on the proposed rule
                                                                                                         CONTACT).                                             and supporting documents must be
                                                 Next Steps and Timing                                                                                         submitted in writing by January 8, 2018.
                                                   The Service is evaluating the Court’s                 References Cited                                      ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
                                                 ruling in Humane Society of the United                    A complete list of all reference cited              on this document, identified by NOAA–
                                                 States, et al. v. Zinke et al., in the                  herein is available at https://                       NMFS–2017–0128, by either of the
                                                 context of our final determination                      www.regulations.gov in Docket No.                     following methods:
ethrower on DSK3G9T082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 regarding the GYE grizzly bear final rule               FWS–R6–ES–2017–0089, or upon                             • Electronic Submission: Submit all
                                                 (82 FR 30502, June 30, 2017) to consider                request from the Grizzly Bear Recovery                electronic public comments via the
                                                 what impact, if any, the D.C. Circuit                   Office (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                   Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to
                                                 Court of Appeal ruling has on the GYE                   CONTACT).                                             http://www.regulations.gov/#!
                                                 grizzly bear final rule and what further                  Authority: This document is published               docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2017-
                                                 evaluation should be considered                         under the authority of the Endangered                 0128, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon,
                                                 regarding the issues raised in Humane                   Species Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et            complete the required fields, and enter
                                                 Society. We will address public                         seq.).                                                or attach your comments.


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Document Created: 2017-12-07 00:35:04
Document Modified: 2017-12-07 00:35:04
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionRegulatory review; request for comments.
DatesWe will accept comments received or postmarked by the end of the day on January 8, 2018.
ContactHilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University Hall, Room 309, Missoula, MT 59812; by telephone (406) 243-4903. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
FR Citation82 FR 57698 

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